The museum of the capital city is struggling with a lack of space for its collections

Prague - The Museum of the Capital City of Prague is struggling with a lack of space for its collections. Due to their growing volume, it needs new spaces and new experts. The museum's director, Zuzana Strnadová, said this at today’s meeting of the city council's Committee for Culture and Tourism. Over the next two years, the main building in Florence will undergo renovations. The museum is a contributory organization of the capital city, which takes care of collections and manages several monuments.

"We will have to address new spaces for the constantly increasing size of the collections. We would like to present the collections to the public, so they can get acquainted, if not with all the collections, which is not possible, but with the representation of all periods. Currently, we present less than one percent," said Strnadová.

The museum currently owns 1.13 million collection items. They are stored in two facilities, one of which is outside of Prague. "When we completed the last storage facility in 2010, we thought we had a reserve for 20 years, but we do not," said Strnadová.

The director stated at the committee meeting that particularly the collection of archaeological items will grow. The museum is required by law to preserve Prague's discoveries. In connection with the increasing collections, the museum management must strengthen the staff in the area of expert activities.

One solution, according to Strnadová, would be for the museum to acquire the Desfour Palace on Na Florenci street from the city. Here, it would have two floors of connected halls at its disposal. Moreover, it is located not far from the museum's main building. "The important thing is the placement of the exhibition of the 19th to 21st centuries, which interests people enormously," said Strnadová.

The museum would also like to acquire additional space in the house U Zlatého prstenu on Týnská street, where it would place the Museum of Medieval Prague. The construction of a new building in Těšnov is also under consideration, on the site where the railway station building once stood. An archaeological museum would be located there.

The museum management is also negotiating with the city administration to entrust it with the Clam-Gallas Palace on the corner of Mariánské náměstí and Husova street after its renovation. "We would be able to create not just an exhibition here but an interesting center for Prague Baroque," said Strnadová.

The museum is a contributory organization of the capital city and employs 145 people. Since 2018, it has been a so-called registered research organization. In addition to the main building in Florence, it also operates a customs house in Podskalí, a chateau in Ctěnice, and Prague towers.